That agenda: to secure the removal of the Mujahideen-e Khalq (MEK) from the U.S. government’s list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations. A Marxian Iranian exile group with cult-like qualities, Mujahideen-e Khalq was responsible for the killing of six Americans in Iran in the 1970s, along with staging a handful of bombings. But for a terrorist organization with deep pockets, it appears there’s always hope.

Onstage next to former FBI director Louis Freeh sat Ed Rendell, the former Democratic governor of Pennsylvania and current MSNBC talking head; former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean; former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Hugh Shelton; former Secretary of Veterans Affairs Togo West; former State Department Director of Policy Planning Mitchell Reiss; former Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. James T. Conway; Anita McBride, the former chief of staff to First Lady Laura Bush; and Sarah Sewall, a Harvard professor who sits on a corporate board with Reiss.

All told, at least 33 high-ranking former U.S. officials have given speeches to MEK-friendly audiences since December of last year as part of more than 22 events in Washington, Brussels, London, Paris and Berlin. While not every speaker accepted payment, MEK-affiliated groups have spent millions of dollars on speaking fees, according to interviews with the former officials, organizers and attendees.

Rendell freely admits he knew little about the group, also known as People’s Mujahedin of Iran (PMOI), before he was invited to speak just days earlier. But he told the audience that the elite status of his fellow panelists and the arguments they made for delisting the group were enough to convince him that it was a good idea.

……………Retired military officers are popular — former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Gen. Wesley K. Clark and former Commander in Chief of United States Central Command Gen. Anthony Zinni have both addressed MEK groups. Yet more speakers appear to have been chosen for their deep political ties, such as former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former New Mexico Gov. and U.N. Ambassador Bill Richardson, former Bush White House Chief of Staff Andy Card, former Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh and former 9/11 Commission Chairman Lee Hamilton.

Hamilton acknowledged to IPS News that he was paid for his appearances, describing his fee at the time as „significant.“ Dean also acknowledged that he was paid for at least a portion of the speeches he gave to MEK groups in London, Paris and Washington, as did Gen. Clark. Gen. Jones told The Wall Street Journal that he received a „standard speaking fee.“ Gen. Zinni’s speaker agent confirmed that Zinni was also paid his „standard speaking fee“ for an eight-minute address at an MEK-related conference in January — between $20,000 and $30,000, according to his speaker profile. The same firm arranged for Zelikow to speak at two MEK-affiliated events this spring, and it recruited John Sano, the former deputy director of the National Clandestine Service, for his first MEK-related appearance on July 26.

That agenda: to secure the removal of the Mujahideen-e Khalq (MEK) from the U.S. government’s list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations. A Marxian Iranian exile group with cult-like qualities, Mujahideen-e Khalq was responsible for the killing of six Americans in Iran in the 1970s, along with staging a handful of bombings. But for a terrorist organization with deep pockets, it appears there’s always hope.

Now that the Cold War is becoming a memory, America’s foreign policy establishment has begun searching for new enemies. Possible new villains include „instability“ in Europe –ranging from German resurgence to new Russian imperialism– the „vanishing“ ozone layer, nuclear proliferation, and narcoterrorism. Topping the list of potential new global bogeymen, however, are the Yellow Peril, the alleged threat to American economic security emanating from East Asia, and the so-called Green Peril (green is the color of Islam).
That peril is symbolized by the Middle Eastern Moslem
fundamentalist–the „Fundie,“ to use a term coined by The
Economist(1)–a Khomeini-like creature, armed with a radical
ideology, equipped with nuclear weapons, and intent on launching a
violent jihad against Western civilization….

To begin with, Al-Qaeda is not a traditional terrorist organisation.
It does not have a clear hierarchy, military mindset and centralised
command. At best, Al-Qaeda is a network of affiliated groups sharing religious and ideological backgrounds, but which often interact sparingly. Al-Qaeda is a state of mind, as much as an organisation;
it encompasses a wide range of members and followers who can differ dramatically from each other

Albanian Secret Service Chief Fatos Klosi in 16.5.1999 in der ?Albania? durch den Albanischen Geheimdienst Chef Fatos Klosi: KLA (UCK) is financed by Bin Ladenhttp://balkanblog.org/2009/09/11/interpol-und-secret-service-der-nato-partner-hashim-thaci-ist-von-bin-laden-finanziert/Warum sind dann Deutsche Soldaten-Politiker heute Verbündete der Drogen- und Islamischen Bin Laden Kartelle?Foreign Intelligence Services Have Information For Connection Of Ex-Leader Of Army For Kosovo Liberation Hasim Taqi With Osama Bin Laden Belgrade, February 11, 2002 – Foreign intelligence services, including the US one, have information for the connections of the ex-leader of the Army for Kosovo Liberation /AKL/ Hasim Taqi with Osama bin Laden, the today?s edition of Glas javnosti daily says. The
ex-chief of the Albanian National Intelligence Service Fatos Klosi
confirmed bin Laden has been in Albania in the 90-ies where he had
organized training camps for the AKL fighters.

…The appearance of Liberland along the Serbian-Croatian border, a frontier that some NATO expansionists consider a de facto «front line» between NATO and Russia, may portend the use of micro-nations and a lax interpretation of the Montevideo Convention as a new «soft power» weapon for the use of the Soros networks in eastern Europe. Soros and his U.S. intelligence sponsors must not be allowed to adopt micro-nations as their latest weapon to destabilize Eastern Europe and other regions where «terra nullius» situations exist.

Investigators from the Treasury’s Office of the Inspector General found that some of the regulator’s employees surfed erotic websites, hired prostitutes and accepted gifts from bank executives … instead of actually working to help the economy

The Minerals Management Service – the regulator charged with overseeing BP and other oil companies to ensure that oil spills don’t occur – was riddled with “a culture of substance abuse and promiscuity”, which included “sex with industry contacts”

Agents for the Drug Enforcement Agency had dozens of sex parties with prostitutes hired by the drug cartels they were supposed to stop (they also received money, giftsand weapons from drug cartel members)

The former chief accountant for the SEC says that Bernanke and Paulson broke the law and should be prosecuted

The government knew about mortgage fraud a long time ago. For example, the FBI warned of an “epidemic” of mortgage fraud in 2004. However, the FBI, DOJ and other government agencies then stood down and did nothing. See this and this. For example, the Federal Reserve turned its cheek and allowed massive fraud, and the SEC has repeatedly ignored accounting fraud. Indeed, Alan Greenspan took the position that fraud could never happen

Paulson and Bernanke falsely stated that the big banks receiving Tarp money were healthy, when they were not. The Treasury Secretary also falsely told Congress that the bailouts would be used to dispose of toxic assets … but then used the money for something else entirely

Warmongerers in the U.S. government knowingly and intentionally liedusinto a war of aggression in Iraq. The former head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff – the highest ranking military officer in the United States – said that the Iraq war was “based on a series of lies”. The same is true in Libya and other wars

For over 65 years, the United States war machine has been on auto pilot. Since World War II, the world has believed that US foreign policy means well, and that America’s motives in spreading democracy are honorable, even noble. In this startling and provocative book from William Blum, one of the United States’ leading non-mainstream chroniclers of American foreign policy and author of the popular online newsletter, Anti-Empire Reports, demonstrates that nothing could be further from the truth. Moreover, unless this fallacy is unlearned, and until people understand fully the worldwide suffering American policy has caused, we will never be able to stop the monster.

“America’s Deadliest Export is a brilliant expose of critically important information about the role of the U.S. in the world – yet that is arguably the least of its virtues. Blum’s book is also passionate when it ought to be passionate, and sober when it ought to be sober. It takes the raw data of international relations and presents it so movingly, so compellingly, and so insightfully, that when it reaches out for us to act – it has put us very much in the mood to do so. Succinct and comprehensive, reasoned and also impassioned, this is a book all should read.” – Michael Albert, co-founder of Znet

“As in the past, in this remarkable collection Bill Blum concentrates on matters of great current significance, and does not pull his punches. They land, backed with evidence and acute analysis. It is a perspective on the world that Westerners should ponder, and take as a guideline for action.” – Noam Chomsky

“Coruscating, eye-opening and essential. This is a must-read for anyone rightfully concerned at the destructive influence of the world’s only superpower.” – Cynthia McKinney, Presidential Candidate for the Green Party of the United States

By Dimitris Agrafiotis for Southeast European Times in Athens – 21/11/03

Organised crime in the Balkans has attracted the interest of the American law enforcement community and the US Senate. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) believes that crime from the Balkans, Eastern and Central Europe, and the former Soviet Union is expanding and will continue to expand.

„In the last year or two, European nations have recognised that Balkan organised crime is one of the greatest criminal threats that they face,“ Assistant Director of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division Grant D. Ashley said in an October statement before the Subcommittee on European Affairs of the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

He added that European police organisations estimate that Balkan crime rings now control more than 70 per cent of the heroin market in some of the larger European nations, and are rapidly taking over human smuggling, prostitution and car theft rings across Europe.
………, Albanian organised crime has reached the United States, creating partnerships with the Gambino, Genovese, and Luchese families to facilitate specific crimes.……………….

The Program on Terrorism and Security Studies starts today, July 9, at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies. For photos of the first day, visit the Marshall Center Photo Gallery. (DOD Illustration by Aryn Lockhart) GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany (July 9, 2015) – The [ … ]

2007-12-31 15:06 SECRET
Key Performance Measures ————————
4. (S) Organized crime: The SHISH has made excellent progress against organized crime (OC)
targets but is hampered by legal constraints, chiefly Albania’s broad legal immunity for government officials.
The SHISH is aggressive in targeting organized crime suspects, but many times mustt cease investigations that are tied to officials
with immunity. (NOTE: All members of Parliament, Ministers, Judges (trial, appellate, Constitutional, and Supreme Courts),
Central Election Commission members, the People’s Advocate, and the Chairman of the High State Control (an independent body) enjoy
Constitutional immunity from prosecution for all criminal offenses. END NOTE.) Because of this, there is great incentive for OC figures to obtain
positions of power in government. SHISH is limited to information gathering and has no arrest authority. SHISH gathers and passes information on OC
and narcotics trafficking to the Albanian State Police for further investigation and arrest.
¶7. (S) Known militants of the governing Democratic
Party (DP) with direct ties to the Prime Minister were appointed as the current SHISH Chief of
Personnel and in the Office of Inspector General (OIG). The Personnel Chief has orchestrated certain
appointments and hirings that do not meet SHISH’s professional development goals, although Director
Shaqiri theoretically has the final decision on all hiring. On-going financial cuts, recently drastic in
nature, have inhibited SHISH’s ability to conduct its work and are perceived by some in the agency as an
attempt to influence its behavior. Despite these challenges, there is little evidence that the
majority of SHISH personnel have succumbed to specific political influence. The two overt
political appointees in SHISH (OIG and Personnel Chief) do not have access to operational information.
……………..

¶9. (S) Penetration: The SHISH and SHIU are not known to have any high level penetrations, despite wide
public perception among Albanians that the SHISH is „full“ of members of the former communist
intelligence service (the „sigurimi“) and OC figures. From a USG perspective, there are few individuals that have remained with the organization after the end of the communist period, and those that have are generally capable partners. There are several incidents where investigations on OC have stalled due to unknown circumstances or have not turned up evidence that was suspected, suggesting that there may be some low-level penetration of the SHISH by OC elements, but we are unable to detect any suggestions of this above low levels. …………..

Remarks of United States Ambassador Joseph Limprecht
National Judicial Conference
Tirana, Albania, December 4, 2000

President Meidani, Chief Justice Kondi, and honored guests:
……..As judges, you are crucial to making certain this democracy prospers. Without your active engagement and commitment, Government’s efforts to ensure public order and the rule of law would fail. The judicial process is the backbone of law enforcement. To be effective, the Judiciary must not only be independent, which you have essentially achieved. Judges must also be competent enough to command public respect. With the help of international donors working with the Law Faculty and the Magistrates School, you are increasing your ability to understand the technical aspects of the law and adjudicate more consistently.

DCM Cristina emphasized that the USG will continue to support the ASP efforts through their ICITAP, OPDAT and ROL programs.Follow the Money to Solve the CrimeAn interview with Cindy Eldridge, Anti-Corruption Resident Legal Advisor at the Embassy’s DOJ OPDAT program, was the cover story of leading weekly MAPO on Nov 1. Following mounting speculations in the Albanian media about her role, Eldridge explained to the weekly that she is embedded with the Joint Investigative Unit of the Tirana Prosecutor’s Office. Eldridge told MAPO she offers technical advice and assistance on a variety of cases that the unit works on. Speaking on her experience as a federal prosecutor in the U.S., Eldridge said, “Following the money is the key to solving the crime.” Albanian prosecutors are involved in investigations of a series of high profile cases that point to the urgent need to fight corruption in Albania.